Congressmen Adam Schiff, lead sponsor of the Armenian Genocide resolution, and Howard Berman met with Georgian president, Mikheil Saakashvili, Thursday to discuss the bilateral relationship between U.S. and Georgia and to ask the president to focus more attention on the Armenian region of Samtskhe-Javakheti, bordering with Armenia.

During the meeting in the U.S. Capitol, President Saakashvili expressed a willingness to work with Schiff and Berman to direct more resources to Samtskhe-Javakheti and said that he would fully support additional American assistance to the region, Asbarez reports.

“I was very pleased with the discussion we had with President Saakashvili,” Schiff said. “He was unhesitating in expressing support when we asked for additional efforts to aid Armenian-Georgians.”

“I will continue to fight for the fair treatment and equal rights for the ethnic Armenian community in Georgia,” said Howard Berman, the Ranking Member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and a longtime champion of Armenian causes.